Ten places every Grand Theft Auto V player should visit

Ten places every Grand Theft Auto V player should visit

With the release of Grand Theft Auto V on PC, the fictional state of San Andreas has never looked better. From the urban sprawl of Los Santos to the sun-baked Grand Senora Desert, here are ten of the most beautiful locations in Rockstar’s satirical California analogue

Vespucci Beach

This is the Los Santos equivalent of Venice Beach, and one of the most densely populated areas in the city of Los Santos. Bodybuilders pump iron, buskers strum guitars, and sunbathers bask on the golden sands. It captures the bustling diversity of the real Venice Beach, and looks especially beautiful at sunset. In the distance you can see Del Perro Pier, based on Santa Monica Pier, whose Ferris wheel is a famous city landmark.

Grand Senora Desert

Located north of Los Santos in Blaine County, this stretch of sand and rock is home to the town of Sandy Shores and the Alamo Sea, a salt lake based on southern California’s Salton Sea. It’s a barren expanse of sweltering scrubland, and a popular destination for drug dealers and outlaw biker gangs. On the eastern side of the desert you’ll find Senora National Park, inspired by California’s Joshua Tree National Park.

Chiliad Mountain State Wilderness

An arboreal forest teeming with wildlife, including deer, rabbits, wild boars, and territorial mountain lions. Its real-life equivalent is the San Gorgonio Wilderness in the San Bernardino Mountains. It’s a rugged and inaccessible landscape, with dirt tracks and gravel roads being the closest thing it has to roads. You can find hikers, mountain bikers, and deer hunters here, and something altogether more supernatural.

El Gordo Lighthouse

This lighthouse sits on the east coast of San Andreas, in an area of stunning natural beauty called Cape Catfish. The sea is violent here, with great, swelling waves that crash and froth against the rocky coastline. Nearby is a large colonial house, its architecture inspired by the hard-wearing cottages of Cape Cod. Follow El Gordo Drive west, away from the lighthouse, and you’ll find the rural community of Grapeseed.

Raton Canyon

This long, deep corridor of rock connects the Alamo Sea to the Pacific Ocean. It’s based on Big Sur’s Bixby Creek, particularly the colossal Cassidy Creek Bridge at the far end. Its name is a reference to Jack Kerouac’s 1962 novel Big Sur, in which the narrator visits a fictional place called Raton Canyon. Fighter jets from a nearby military base called Fort Zancudo can often be seen flying through the canyon.

Vinewood

Vinewood, Rockstar’s homage to Hollywood, is a large, wealthy neighbourhood and the heart of the film business in Los Santos. Stars line the sidewalks of Vinewood Boulevard, bearing the names of actors and celebrities. The wide roads are lined with palm trees, cinema marquees, and street performers, and you’ll occasionally catch a glimpse of the famous Vinewood sign, which rests on the hills overlooking the district.

Mount Chiliad

The distant peak of Mount Chiliad can be seen from almost anywhere in Blaine County. At 2619 feet above sea level, it’s the tallest mountain in San Andreas. A series of steep dirt trails lead to the top, or you can take the aerial tramway from Pala Springs. From the peak, on a clear day, you can see the skyscrapers of downtown Los Santos. If you decide to ascend Chiliad on foot, watch out for mountain lions.

Paleto Bay

This rural town sits along the northern coast of Blaine County. With its stars and stripes bunting and independent businesses, it’s the embodiment of small-town America. Its design and layout are based on Fillmore, a town in Ventura County, California. To the west of the town you’ll find the coniferous Paleto Forest, a hotspot for deer hunters, and Paleto Cove, a picturesque string of small, rocky islands.

Vinewood Hills

Far from the bustle of Vinewood itself, the Vinewood Hills are a getaway for the rich and famous in Los Santos. Based on the similarly affluent Hollywood Hills, its narrow, tree-lined roads connect palatial gated mansions with shiny sports cars in their driveways. Explore further and you’ll find the Galileo Observatory, inspired by the famous Griffith Observatory, which offers dramatic views of the city below.

Tataviam Mountains

Travel east of Los Santos and you’ll find this large mountain range based on Riverside County’s San Jacinto Mountains. It’s named after a Native American group from southern California. From the highest point of the range you can see the entire sprawl of Los Santos, from the southern beaches to the Vinewood Hills. The infamous unsolved murder of a Hollywood starlet, Lenora Johnson, occured here.